| Info about Cayman Islands | |
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries, and were administered by Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies, but when the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.
| | Languages | | English 95%, Spanish 3.2%, other 1.8% (1999 census) | | Drug usage | | offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe | | Ethnic division | | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% | | HIV/AIDS prevalence rate | | NA | | Climate info | | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) | | Natural Resources | | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism | | Economic data | | With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 68,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500 banks, 800 insurers, and 5,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2003, with about half from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. | | Environmental issues | | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments |
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